Combined gate hinge and latch

ABSTRACT

A gate member is provided including upstanding opposite end tubular members and each tubular member is provided with a pair of upper and lower end outwardly projecting arms having first vertically aligned horizontally outwardly opening notches formed therein. Each tubular member is provided with an inner member extending through and rotatable relative thereto. The upper and lower ends of each inner member project upwardly and downwardly below the upper and lower ends of the corresponding tubular member and include horizontally outwardly projecting levers having second vertically aligned horizontally outwardly opening notches formed therein and the levers are swingable into and out of relative superposed positions with the notches in the arms and levers vertically registered and opening outwardly in opposite directions whereby each end of the gate may be releasably swingably supported from and latched to aligned vertical hinge pin portions supported from a fence post, or the like.

United States Patent 1191 Doffin et al.

1111 3,896,588 [4 July 29, 1975 [5 COMBINED GATE HINGE AND LATCH Primary ExaminerDennis L. Taylor [76] Inventors: Richard L. Doffin, PO. Box 23, g Frmclarence O Hoskins, Nebr. 68740; Kyle l. Delp, arvey Rt. 1; Vernon L. Delp, 605 E. Park Ave., both of Norfolk, Nebr. 68701 [57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Jan. 30, 1974 A gate member is provided including upstanding opposite end tubular members and each tubular member [21] Appl 438p is provided with a pair of upper and lower end outwardly projecting arms having first vertically aligned [52] US. Cl. 49/394; 49/192; 292/210 horizontally outwardly opening notches formed [51] Int. Cl. E05c 19/14 therein. Each tubular member is provided with an [58] Field of Search 49/193, 381, 384, 386; inner member extending through and rotatable rela- 16/147; 105/281; 292/210, 108 tive thereto. The upper and lower ends of each inner member project upwardly and downwardly below the [56] References Cited upper and lower ends of the corresponding tubular UNITED STATES PATENTS member and include horizontally outwardly projecting 1,381,335 6/1921 Reed 16/147 levers having veltically aligned, hmizomauy 1 601 948 10/1926 Erickson 49/193 outwardly opemng notches formed them" and the 2:246:792 6/19 Dal] 47 X vers are swingable into and out of relative superposed 2,357,397 9/1944 Fuller 49/193 X positions with the notches in the arms and levers verti- 2,593,545 4/1952 DeBarbe 16/147 cally registered and opening outwardly in opposite di- 2,832.625 4/1958 Findlay e e 292/210 rections whereby each end of the gate may be releas- 3,061,870 1 Giannini 16/147 x ably swingably supported from and latched to aligned 3,105,266 10/1963 Flaith etal 16/147 vertical hinge pin portions Supported from a fence post, or the like.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures I l.- %Q g Z4 Z8 44 32 20 7 n 46 k /0 COMBINED GATE HINGE AND LATCH BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Most fence gates are hinged at only one side and in a manner which renders ready removal of the gate difficult. Further, most fence gates are hingedly supported by hinge structures which have a limited life span and include latch constructions for securing the gates in closed positions which also have a limited life span.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The combined gate hinge and latch assembly of the instant invention is constructed in a manner whereby an associated gate will be swingable from either end and latchable at the other end. In addition, the gate hinge and latch is constructed in a manner whereby an associated gate may be readily removed from an associated fence whenever desired and the structure by which the gate may be selectively hinged from either end has a considerable life expectancy. Also, inasmuch as the same gate hinging structure is used at each end of the gate and the opposite gate hinge structure serves as a gate latch, the gate latch structure also has a considerable life expectancy.

The main object of this invention is provide a gate member which may be swung between the open and closed positions from either end of the gate.

Another object of this invention is to provide a gate construction whose hinging structure includes features enabling the gate to be readily removed from an associated fence post, or the like.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a gate hinge structure which may also be used as a gate latching structure.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a gate hinge structure including components which will provide an extended life expectancy and which same components may also be selectively utilized as gate latching structure having an extended life expectancy.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a combined gate hinge and latch in accordance with the preceding objects and which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation .as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a fence construction having a gate opening therein and with a gate including the combined gate hinge and latch structure of the instant invention supported within the gate opening in the fence construction;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the assemblage illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 2 but with a first partially open position of the gate illustrated in solid lines and a second partially open position of the gate illustrated in phantom lines;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the gate assembly;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the left side portion of the gate and adjacent fence section illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal, sectional view, taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of one of the latch and hinge actuating levers of the gate illustrating the manner in which the handle portion thereof may be swung from a depending vertical position toward a horizontal position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The numeral 10 generally designates a conventional form of fence construction including first and second fence sections 12 and 14. The fence section 12 includes a post 16 which supports adjacent ends of a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal fence boards 18 and the fence section 14 includes a similar post 20 which supports corresponding ends of a plurality of vertically spaced fence boards 22. The posts 16 and 20 are spaced apart and define an opening through the fence construction 10.

The combined gate hinge and latch assembly of the instant invention is in part carried by a gate member referred to in general by the reference numeral 24. The gate member 24 includes opposite end upstanding tubular members 26 interconnected by means of upper and lower horizontal members 28 and 30. The gate hinge and latch construction is referred to in general by the reference numeral 32 and includes the tubular end members 26 of the gate 24.

Each of the tubular members 26 have an upstanding elongated inner member 34 extending therethrough and including upper and lower ends 36 and 38 which project inwardly above and downwardly below the upper and lower ends of the tubular member 26. The upper end 36 includes a horizontally outwardly projecting arm 40 having a horizontally outwardly opening lateral notch 42 formed therein. In addition, the lower end 38 of the inner member 34 includes a second horizontally outwardly projecting arm 40 which also includes a horizontally outwardly opening notch 42. The arms 40 are vertically registered as are the notches 42 and it may be seen that the spacing between the arms 40 is slightly greater than the length of the associated end member 26. Also, the upper end 36 of the inner member 34 includes a horizontally outwardly projecting crank arm 44 having an elongated handgrip 46 pivotally attached thereto at its outer end as at 48. The handgrip 46 is swingable by gravity to the depending position thereof illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings and may be swung in the direction of the arrow 50 to a substantially horizontally disposed position and thereafter to an upstanding position above the crank arm 44.

Each of the posts 16 and 20 supports an upstanding rod 52 therefrom in spaced relation from the side thereof adjacent the other post. Each rod 52 includes upper and lower end horizontally outwardly projecting parallel threaded mounting shank portions 54 which are secured through the upper and lower ends of the corresponding posts by means of threaded nuts 56 and 58. Each rod 52 includes a pair of washers 60 disposed thereon with one washer 60 being positioned above the juncture of each mounting shank portion 54 and the rod 52.

It will also be seen from FIGS. 1, 4 and 5 of the drawings that the upper and lower ends of each end member 26 include horizontally outwardly projecting arms 64 which are similar to the arms 40 but which have horizontally outwardly opening notches 66 formed therein which open in the opposite direction to the corresponding notches 42 when the arms 40 and 64 are disposed in relative superposed relation such as that illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 of the drawings. When the arms 40 and 64 are disposed in superposed relation, the inner ends of each set of corresponding notches 42 and 66 defines a cylindrical passage through which the corresponding end of the associated rod 52 is rotatably received. It will be noted from FIG. 5 of the drawings that the arms 64 rest upon the washer 60 and, therefore, support the weight of the gate 24 from the rods 52.

From FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, it may be seen that when the crank arms 44 are swung to the positions to place the arms 40 in superposed relation relative to the corresponding arms 64 the free ends of the crank arms 44 are spaced slightly to one side of the gate 26 and that the handgrips 46 may hang down below the upper horizontal member 28 of the gate 24 in order to prevent the crank arms 44 from swinging to the release positions thereof illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings whereby each end of the gate 24 may be disengaged from the corresponding rod 52.

When it is desired to open either end of the gate, it is merely necessary to grasp the corresponding handgrip 46 and to pivot the latter to an approximate hori zontal position, so that it may be swung, with the free end of the corresponding crank arm 44, over the top of the upper horizontal member 28 of the gate 24 to the opposite side of the gate 24. This swinging movement of the crank arm 44 will, of course, cause the arms 40 to swing from the superposed positions relative to the corresponding arms 64 to the positions thereof illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings whereby that end of the gate 28 may be swung, in the direction opposite to the direction in which the notches 66 open, toward the open position. Additionally, if it is desired to remove the gate 24, it is merely necessary to release the opposite end arms 40 in the same manner. Of course, when the gate 24 is swung back to the closed position, the swinging of the crank arm 44 is reversed in order to swing the arms 40 into superposed relation with the arms 64 after the upper and lower ends of the corresponding rod 52 has been seated in the notches 66 formed in the arm 64. Then, the handgrip 46 is allowed to swing to the depending position thereof illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings whereby the crank arm 44 will again be locked in the operative position latching the end of the gate which was just closed.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a gate member including an upstanding tubular member at one end, a first pair of fixed generally parallel and outwardly projecting arms carried by opposite end portions of said end member and having first vertically aligned, horizontally outwardly opening and upstanding notches formed therein, an elongated upstanding latch member projecting through and journaled in said end member, the end portions of said latch member projecting beyond the upper and lower ends of said end member including a second pair of outwardly projecting arms provided with second ver' tically aligned, horizontally outwardly opening and upstanding notches formed therein, said second arms being oscillatable with said latch member into and out of positions with the inner ends of said first and second notches in registry with each other and said first and second notches opening in different directions, whereby the registered inner ends of said first and second notches define an upstanding passage through which an upstanding pin may be received and the notched first arms may be horizontally displaced away from said pin in the direction opposite to which the notches in said first arms open after the second notched arms having been swung away from said pin in order to completely disengage said gate member from said pin.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said gate member includes a second upstanding tubular member at its other end also including notched upper and lower first arms and oscillatably receives a second latch member therethrough also including notched upper and lower second arms swin'gable into and out of positions with the inner ends of the last mentioned second arms registered with the inner ends of the last mentioned first arms.

3. The combination of claim 1 including a fence post provided with generally aligned upstanding vertically spaced pin portions from with which the upper and lower notched arms are embracingly engaged.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein at least one of said pin portions includes means defining an upwardly facing shoulder with which the undersurface of the corresponding first arm is supportingly engaged.

5. The combination of claim4 wherein each of said pin portions includes means defining an upwardly facing shoulder and the under surface of each of said first arms is supportingly engaged with the corresponding shoulder.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said pin portions comprise integral upper and lower end portions of an upstanding pin supported from said post.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said pin is disposed to one side of said post and includes upper and lower horizontally outwardly projecting portions projecting toward and supported from said post.

8.'The combination of claim 7 wherein said means defining said shoulders comprise washers disposed on said pin and resting upon said upper and lower horizontally outwardly projecting portions.

9. A gate construction including opposite end upstanding end members interconnected by longitudinal members extending and secured therebetween, the upper and lower end portions of at least one of said end members including first outwardly projecting arms provided with horizontally outwardly opening notches, an upstanding latch member generally paralleling and oscillatably supported from said one end member, the upper and lower end portions of said latch member including second outwardly projecting arms provided with horizontally outwardly opening notches, said second arms being oscillatable with said latch member into and out of positions with the inner ends of said first and second notches in registry with each other and said first and second notches opening in different directions, whereby the registered inner ends of said first and second notches define an upstanding passage through which an upstanding pin may be received and the notched first arms may be swung away from said pin'in the direction opposite to which the notches in said first arms open after the second notched arms have been swung away from said pin, said one end member being tubular and said latch member extending through and being rotatably supported from said one end member, the end of said latch member including a horizontally outwardly projecting crank arm, the free end of said crank arm being disposed on the side of said gate construction opposite to the side thereof facing in the direction in which the notches of said second arms open when said first and second notch inner ends are in registry with each other, the free end of said crank arm including a vertically shiftable abutment portion shiftable between upper and lower positions and engageable with an upper portion of said gate construction, when in lower position, to prevent swinging of the free end of the crank arm to the other side of said gate construction, the free end of said crank arm being swingable over said gate construction when said abutment portion is shifted to the upper position thereof.

10. In combination, a gate having a hingedly supported end and a free swinging end, latch means carried by the free swinging end of said gate including an operator oscillatable about an upstanding axis, said operator including a horizontally outwardly projecting crank arm including a free end swingable over said gate from one side thereof to the other side thereof when said operator is swung to a position with said latch means in the operative position, the free end of said crank arm including a vertically swingable elongated handle and abutment portion pivotally attached at one end to the free end of said crank arm for oscillation about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said crank arm and handle portion between an upper position and a lower depending position and engageable with an upper portion of said gate when in the lower depending position to prevent swinging of the free end of said crank arm over the upper portion of said gate, the free end of said crank arm and said handle being swingable over said gate when said handle portion is shifted to the upper position thereof, 

1. In combination, a gate member including an upstanding tubular member at one end, a first pair of fixed generally parallel and outwardly projecting arms carried by opposite end portions of said end member and having first vertically aligned, horizontally outwardly opening and upstanding notches formed therein, an elongated upstanding latch member projecting through and journaled in said end member, the end portions of said latch member projecting beyond the upper and lower ends of said end member including a second pair of outwardly projecting arms provided with second vertically aligned, horizontally outwardly opening and upstanding notches formed therein, said second arms being oscillatable with said latch member into and out of positions with the inner ends of said first and second notches in registry with each other and said first and second notches opening in different directions, whereby the registered inner ends of said first and second notches define an upstanding passage through which an upstanding pin may be received and the notched first arms may be horizontally displaced away from said pin in the direction opposite to which the notches in said first arms open after the second notched arms having been swung away from said pin in order to completely disengage said gate member from said pin.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said gate member includes a second upstanding tubular member at its other end also including notched upper and lower first arms and oscillatably receives a second latch member therethrough also including notched upper and lower second arms swingable into and out of positions with the inner ends of the last mentioned second arms registered with the inner ends of the last mentioned first arms.
 3. The combination of claim 1 including a fence post provided with generally aligned upstanding vertically spaced pin portions from with which the upper and lower notched arms are embracingly engaged.
 4. The combination of claim 3 wherein at least one of said pin portions includes means defining an upwardly facing shoulder with which the undersurface of the corresponding first arm is supportingly engaged.
 5. The combination of claim 4 wherein each of said pin portions includes means defining an upwardly facing shoulder and the under surface of each of said first arms is supportingly engaged with the corresponding shoulder.
 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said pin portions comprise integral upper and lower end portions of an upstanding pin supported from said post.
 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said pin is disposed to one side of said post and includes upper and lower horizontally outwardly projecting portions projecting toward and supported from said post.
 8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said means defining said shoulders comprise washers disposed on said pin and resting upon said upper and lower horizontally outwardly projecting portions.
 9. A gate construction including opposite end upstanding end members interconnected by longitudinal members extending and secured therebetween, the upper and lower end portions of at least one of said end members including first outwardly projecting arms provided with horizontally outwardly opening notches, an upstanding latch member generally paralleling and oscillatably supported from said one end member, the upper and lower end portions of said latch member including second outwardly projecting arms provided with horizontally outwardly opening notches, said second arms being oscillatable with said latch member into and out of positions with the inner ends of said first and second notches in registry with each other and said first and second notches opening in different directions, whereby the registered inner ends of said first and second notches define an upstanding passage through which an upstanding pin may be received and the notched first arms may be swung away from said pin in the direction opposite to which the notches in said first arms open after the second notched arms have been swung away from said pin, said one end member being tubular and said latch member extending through and being rotatably supported from said one end member, the end of said latch member including a horizontally outwardly projecting crank arm, the free end of said crank arm being disposed on the side of said gate construction opposite to the side thereof facing in the direction in which the notches of said second arms open when said first and second notch inner ends are in registry with each other, the free end of said crank Rm including a vertically shiftable abutment portion shiftable between upper and lower positions and engageable with an upper portion of said gate construction, when in lower position, to prevent swinging of the free end of the crank arm to the other side of said gate construction, the free end of said crank arm being swingable over said gate construction when said abutment portion is shifted to the upper position thereof.
 10. In combination, a gate having a hingedly supported end and a free swinging end, latch means carried by the free swinging end of said gate including an operator oscillatable about an upstanding axis, said operator including a horizontally outwardly projecting crank arm including a free end swingable over said gate from one side thereof to the other side thereof when said operator is swung to a position with said latch means in the operative position, the free end of said crank arm including a vertically swingable elongated handle and abutment portion pivotally attached at one end to the free end of said crank arm for oscillation about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said crank arm and handle portion between an upper position and a lower depending position and engageable with an upper portion of said gate when in the lower depending position to prevent swinging of the free end of said crank arm over the upper portion of said gate, the free end of said crank arm and said handle being swingable over said gate when said handle portion is shifted to the upper position thereof. 